Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Mothers and Daughters

That it rained all weekend is an understatement. The Duncan area got over eight inches of rain this weekend and most of that was Saturday evening. We worked on the barn most of the day Saturday although it was drizzling outside. It was raining pretty steady at 3:00 PM when we went to the homeschool graduation ceremony. Four of my art girls were graduating. It was a beautiful ceremony for my beautiful girls. Their parents presented each one their diploma, reading scriptures and giving blessings to each girl. A couple of the girls performed musically. If there were any talent scouts out there, they could have hit the jackpot with these girls. Each girl had a table set up with photos and items that represent their lives. They all had art work to display. I was very proud of my girls.

It continued to rain throughout the evening and all night. Bo and Sara got stuck in Duncan for about an hour Saturday evening when Hwy 81 was closed due to flooding. No one wanted to come to our house after church on Sunday and take a chance on getting stuck in our driveway. We ended up eating in town at my friend and in-law, Inpassing’s, house. She provided my favorite chicken tenders from the “flyin’ chicken” - good friends and fried chicken just can’t be beat on a Sunday afternoon. Then we all went to our own homes and took naps. Hey, it was too wet to work.

Sunday evening Jesse, Toby and I went to the movies to see Shrek 3. Toby rarely goes to a movie, and this is his second one this year - yeha. The movie was funny if you like Shrek. I think my favorite part was the dying frog king. The donkey/dragons were just pretty cute too. A couple of the dandies joined us at the movies. They had been out riding their motorcycles before the movies so we got to check out their bikes. After the movie, they joined us for some ice cream at Braums.

While sitting at Braums, I got another chance to watch Jesse with her dandies. I watched to see how she interacted with them. I love it when she lets down her guard - spontaneously bursting into laughter , teasing them, and just being herself. Her eyes light up, and she can be pretty awesome at these times. It is always interesting to see how the boys react to her. And I always have that thought, “Could one of these guys be the one for her?” So I watch them close and wonder.

Since she has been a teenager, I have watched her and the young men with whom she has come in contact. There are many times, when I know exactly what Jesse is thinking, and sometimes not. Usually, I can tell whom she is impressed with and whom she is not, because we have similar views. One time after a visit from a very impressive young man, I asked her what she thought. She said, “He did not ring any bells.” This young man was so impressive that I continued to hold out hope, knowing what an exceptional man he was. Then Jesse asked me if I still was thinking that he might be the one for her. I told her at that time that I look over every young man as if “he might be the one”. Jesse was right - they turned out to be great friends, but there was the lack of spark to be anything more.

So while I watched her the other night, I also had these thoughts. Do other mothers do this? Do other mothers watch their daughters so close? Do they consider each young man she meets as marriage material or not? Do they try to picture the young man as a husband and father and how he would respond to other family members? Those thoughts brought me to these thoughts Did my own mother watch me like this? If so, what did she think when I brought Toby home? Hmm, I bet I know. I bet she thought, “no way!” She did not know Toby at all. We were just kids in college. I brought him home for a few days during spring break (we married in June). It was not like he was studying to be a doctor or anything. He had that slow West Texas drawl. He drove a fast car. I just wonder what she thought back then. As to what my father thought; I don’t even want to go there. The important thing is, I know what she thinks of Toby now. Both of my parents came to know and love Toby. Dad always said that he taught me well. We have taught Jesse well, too. I have no fears there, just interest.

Funny, i suppose in a way, i watch Jesse too. Kinda like a big brother. Curious, but definitely guarded, even though i know she is a very intelligent girl, i don't want her to be deceived by some "dandy" and therefore, i casually observe. Its kinda like, no its exactly like, i see this beautiful pearl, but i also see alot of pigs and i don't want the pearl to get trampled. So i have to be careful not to see all the dandy's as pigs. Of course, i'm so slow on most of it anyway, i rarely know who is and who isn't referred to as "eligible". Suffice to say, i know in the end, Jesse will choose wisely. And some very fortunate young man will have a very precious jewel, that he %@#& well better take VERY good care of. Because if she doesn't get him, there are a number of us out here that will.